The Cat Came Back
1893 
USA Lyrics
He tried and he tried to give the cat away
He gave it to a man goin' far, far away
But the cat came back the very next day
The cat came back, they thought he was a goner
But the cat came back; he just couldn't stay away
Give me a "Meow", go
Now, the man around the corner swore he'd kill the cat on sight
So he loaded up his shotgun with nails and dynamite
He waited and he waited for the cat to come around
Ninety seven pieces of the man is all that they found
But you know...?
But the cat came back the very next day
The cat came back, they thought he was a goner
But the cat came back; he just couldn't stay away
Give me a "Meow", go
So he gave it to a man going up in a balloon
He told him for to take it to the man in the moon
The balloon came down about ninety miles away
Where the man is now, well I dare not say
But you know...?
But the cat came back the very next day
The cat came back, they thought he was a goner
But the cat came back; he just couldn't stay away
Give me a "Meow", go
So he gave it to a man going way out West
He told him for to take it to the one he loved the best
First the train hit the track, then it jumped the rail
Not a soul was left behind to tell the gruesome tale
But you know what?
But the cat came back the very next day
The cat came back, they thought he was a goner
But the cat came back; he just couldn't stay away
Give me a "Meow", go
Now, the cat was a possessor of a family of his own
With seven little kittens till there came a cyclone
It tore the houses all apart and tossed the cat around
The air was filled with kittens, but not one was ever found
But the cat came back the very next day
The cat came back, they thought he was a goner
But the cat came back; he just couldn't stay away
Give me a "Meow", go
But the cat came back the very next day
The cat came back, they thought he was a goner
But the cat came back; he just couldn't stay away
Give me a "Meow", go
History and Meaning
"The Cat Came Back" originated as a blues-folk gallows comedy song written by Harry S. Miller in 1893, initially conceived as a minstrel number. The song tells the humorous, albeit often dark, story of "Old Mr. Johnson" and his persistent "old yeller cat" that he continuously tries to get rid of, only for the cat to always return.
In Miller's original version and other early renditions, the attempts to dispose of the cat often resulted in violent or fatal outcomes for those trying to get rid of it, while the cat remained unscathed. Verses describe a neighbor accidentally blowing himself up with a shotgun, a man in a balloon disappearing, a train derailing, and even a ship sinking—with the cat always surviving and returning. Even when the cat finally "dies" in Miller's original, its ghost comes back.
The first commercial recording of the song was made around 1894 by Charles Marsh. Later, Fiddlin' John Carson recorded it in 1924, followed by Fiddlin' Doc Roberts in 1925.
The song became widely known as a children's song due to adaptations, notably by Canadian musician Fred Penner. In 1978, Penner discovered the song and adapted the lyrics, removing the original stereotypical dialect and much of the violent imagery to make it more suitable for children. He recorded the song, which helped launch his career as a children's entertainer.
The popularity of Penner's child-friendly version also led to the 1988 Oscar-nominated animated short film "The Cat Came Back" by Cordell Barker, which introduced the persistent feline to a new generation through vibrant animation and clever storytelling.